1. Field
The present disclosure relates to audio products and, more specifically but not exclusively, to earphones and headphones having built-in microphones, such as those used for telephony applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, the statements of this section are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is prior art or what is not prior art.
Cellular smartphones provide a wide variety of audio functionality to users, including telephony, voice-memo recording, audio-video recording, and a voice interface to automated speech-recognition engines used in dictation and automated voice assistants. Almost all smartphones can be used with earphones, also known as in-ear headphones, earbuds, or headsets.
Many earphone designs to date contain a single omnidirectional microphone embedded in one of the earphone wires. This microphone is usually located in one of the earphone wires that connects to the left or right earphone transducer. For example, in the earphone designs by Apple, Beats, and Bose, to name only three, the microphone is located in the control capsule that provides the user with a set of audio controls. The control capsule on most earphones is located on either the left or right earphone wire and is placed along the wire so that, when the earphones are worn normally, the microphone is in line with the user's mouth. Such configurations limit the transmission quality of the user's speech as well as the accuracy of speech-recognition engines when used with automated voice assistants such as Apple's Siri and Google's Google Now.